A 2,000-year-old burial web site has been found by Israeli authorities.
The discover is named the “Tomb of Salome”, one of the midwives who attended the delivery of Jesus
The Israeli authorities have revealed “one of the most impressive burial caves” ever found on the territory of the nation, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
The discover dates again to about 2000 years in the past and is named the “Tomb of Salome”, one of the midwives who attended the delivery of Jesus, based on some colleges of Christianity.
The web site was found 40 years in the past by antiquities thieves within the forest of Lachish, positioned between Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. This led to archaeological excavations, which revealed an enormous vestibule, testifying, based on archaeologists, to the significance of the burial cave.
The web site the place the bone containers have been discovered contains a number of rooms in addition to niches carved into the stone. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, that is one of probably the most spectacular and intricately constructed caves found in Israel.
The cave was initially used for Jewish burial rituals and belonged to a rich Jewish household who devoted lots of effort to its preparation,” based on the supply.
The cave later grew to become a Christian chapel devoted to Salome, as evidenced by the crosses and inscriptions on the partitions referring to her.
“Salome is an enigmatic figure,” the Israel Antiquities Authority mentioned. “According to Christian (Orthodox) custom, the midwife in Bethlehem couldn’t imagine that she was being requested to ship the child to a virgin, her hand withered and solely recovered when she cradled him.
The cult of Salome and use of the positioning continued into the ninth century, after the Muslim conquest, the Israel Antiquities Authority mentioned. “Some of the inscriptions are in Arabic, while Christian believers continue to pray at the site.”
Excavations of the 350-square-meter vestibule uncovered store stalls that archaeologists imagine offered clay lamps.
“We found hundreds of whole and broken lamps dating from the eighth or ninth century,” mentioned excavation leaders Nir Shimshon-Paran and Zvi Fuhrer. “The lamps were probably used to illuminate the cave or in religious ceremonies in the way that candles are distributed in tombs and churches today,” they added.
